***Official*** South Africa in India

[Manee]

Oh dear! Rauf with a shocker of a decision!

 

[Arjun]

Regarding all the dreadful-Indian-medium-pacer comments, let's just look at this- there are only two seamers, with Ganguly offering next to no support, the pitch being flat, the outfield fast, and the outfielding weak. They can't be as bad as made out in these comments.

 

[duffer]

Oh dear! Rauf with a shocker of a decision!

Pakistani umpire? Getting my effigy ready.....

 

[Manee]

Regarding all the dreadful-Indian-medium-pacer comments, let's just look at this- there are only two seamers, with Ganguly offering next to no support, the pitch being flat, the outfield fast, and the outfielding weak. They can't be as bad as made out in these comments.

The pitch makes the medium pacers look worse than they are. But I have not criticised Sreesanth, because he has bowled well and with a lot of heart. RP Singh has been below par though.

 

[Manee]

Pakistani umpire? Getting my effigy ready.....

I never implied any sort of malintent from Rauf, just that it was a bad decision. Harbhajan with the caught and bowled.

 

[duffer]

I never implied any sort of malintent from Rauf, just that it was a bad decision. Harbhajan with the caught and bowled.

I was clowning. Just I watch India games with mates and if Dar or Rauf give us a howler this one always comes up.

 

[Protean]

Go Dale!

 

[sideshowtim]

Well done South Africa!

Only 2 results possible now!!

 

[duffer]

A rapid Sehwag can get us back in the game.

 

[DaRick]

I, myself actually said that earlier in this thread. But watching him bowl, he has bowled with less consistency than usually. Usually, he leaks his runs through full balls he is trying to get to swing, but in this game, it has been full balls, short balls, very short balls and wide balls. The pace has also been down for him, bowling for a period in the 125kph region due to fatigue. Pathan, especially with his new action, is an accurate bowler, but I feel that accuracy alone can not work on a pitch that is this ridiculously flat (as I am presuming the next two pitches will be). Furthermore, when Pathan bowls anything shorter than a good length, it sits up and will be cannon fodder for a cut, pull or backfoot drive.

I actually agree with all of this - which is why I refrained from asking for RP Singh to be dropped, despite the fact that I don't rate him. I bolded the part above because I feel that is a major fault of RP's - he's too adventurous in his pursuit of swing and often pitches it too full. However, he often goes for runs when he pitches it short, because he lacks a decent bouncer (I remember Symonds/Hogg hooking and cutting him in Sydney). Cue the James Anderson comparison.

 

[Protean]

Haha, Dale is such a rock star. SA all out for 540.

 

[Manee]

because he lacks a decent bouncer (I remember Symonds/Hogg hooking and cutting him in Sydney).

I don't actually think that he has a bouncer, just a short ball that rises sharply occasionally.

South Africa: 540 all out. Surely they have eliminated any chance of a loss.

 

[duffer]

Teams have lost after scoring 500 before. We just need to get close and quick, Kumble and Bhajji would probably fancy their chances rolling them on day 4.

We shouldn't be giving this up already.

 

[DaRick]

I don't actually think that he has a bouncer, just a short ball that rises sharply occasionally.

South Africa: 540 all out. Surely they have eliminated any chance of a loss.

Well, he did try to bounce Symonds once in Sydney and got hooked non-chalantly for four.

 

[popepouri]

Heh, reverse sweep cover drive.

Good total. Going to be testing.

 

[Manee]

Well, he did try to bounce Symonds once in Sydney and got hooked non-chalantly for four.

Must have missed that. Living in England, it was hard to watch all of the Test series. Did he put his back into the attempted bouncers?

 

[Arjun]

Sehwag hit a back-foot drive for four and then a scoop over thirdman for six.

 

[duffer]

Sehwag showing how flat it is with those two shots. Needs to cash in on this.

 

[Arjun]

Morne Morkel chases a Jaffer drive from mid-off to covers, saving a run off a possible boundary. He slides, gets his body behind the ball at just the right time. RP Singh, take note.

 

[Protean]

Another one of those sixes!! Impressive.